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Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Meat/Seafood

City Chicken a Polish-American Recipe

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City Chicken isn’t actually chicken; it’s also been known as mock chicken. It’s sometimes thought of as a Polish recipe, although it’s not actually from Poland. What’s up with this dish?

Dating back to the turn of the previous century, City Chicken, a Polish-American recipe, has roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio and spread to Great Lakes cities such as Detroit, Michigan and Buffalo, New York. Nostalgic comfort food from the Rust Belt.

city chicken skewers on Polish pottery

Made of small bits of meat, usually pork and veal because during the Great Depression, they were less expensive than chicken. The meat used was often scraps, placed on a wooden skewer and formed to resemble a chicken leg. It was breaded and fried and/or baked.

I made City Chicken over the weekend, it was the first time I’d sampled the mock chicken, and I have to say the experience is very similar to eating fried chicken. My husband, Ed, grew up near Pittsburgh, and is a more experienced connoisseur of City Chicken than I. When I said I was going to make it, he knew what I meant. 🙂

three city chicken skewers on polish pottery

He told he that the last time he’d had City Chicken was probably in a restaurant in the Strip District, at the foot of Polish Hill (home to the Immaculate Heart of Mary church), on a visit to Pittsburgh. If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth a stop in the Strip District. Wonderful food markets and restaurants. There’s a Polish Deli, Wholey’s (an amazing fish monger). This is where I first visited a Penzey’s Spice store (long before they had a location in Tucson), first sampled the Pittsburgh classic of steak strips and french fries garnishing a green salad, but that’s another story.

Ed remembered seeing City Chicken the grocery stores when he was growing up, packs of stew-like meat with skewers included, but his family usually ate chicken. I think by that time, the price pendulum had swung the other way because even though money was tight, his mother fried a huge platter of chicken every Sunday as they hosted extended family.

Like most recipes, there are many variations. You have many cooking options: deep fry, pan fry, fry and then bake to finish, or just bake. Some like to serve City Chicken with some kind of gravy, we had it with my mushroom sauce. If you’d like to make this a low carb recipe, try any of these substitutions for the bread crumbs; all are tasty and satisfying ways to get the desire texture in the coating:

  1. ground almonds
  2. ground almonds & Parmesan Cheese
  3. ground pork rinds

City chicken is a tasty nostalgic dish that I think you’ll enjoy. Can you think of other recipes with such misleading names? I’m sure this isn’t the only one.

Smacznego!

Lois

 

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city chicken skewers on Polish pottery

City Chicken a Polish-American Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: polishhousewife
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4 - 6
  • Category: Meat
  • Method: fried
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A nostalgic comfort food

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound pork, cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
  • Seasoning salt (another indicator that this Polish-American rather than Polish)
  • flour, for dredging
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350
  2. Season pork with seasoning salt, and thread onto 4 inch skewers
  3. Set up three bowls or plates with rims in a row (fill one with flour, one with the eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs)
  4. Roll the pork skewers in flour, dip in the eggs coating all side, roll in the bread crumbs
  5. Heat oil to 350, even brown the pork skewers in the hot oil
  6. Place the skewers in a baking dish and cover with foil, bake for about 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake uncovered for 5 minutes to crisp breading

Keywords: City Chicken

Polish Pate (Pasztet)

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Pate is a lot like soup. That’s what I’ve come to believe. When you’re making soup, you don’t really need a recipe. It’s mainly technique. Meat, veggies, herbs, water and some time = something beautiful. The same is true for making pate. As a matter of fact, as you begin making Polish Pate (Pasztet), it looks just like soup.

stacked slices of Polish pate topped with red lingonberry jam, Polish pottery in the background

I started to say the first time I had Pasztet was at a cooking class I took in Warsaw earlier this year, but that wouldn’t be accurate. One year when we lived in Poland, Major Demel sent Ed home with a charcuterie feast after his family slaughtered a hog for Easter. I do remember that there was a pate in the mix, but I was so in love with the White Sausage in a Jar, that I couldn’t think of anything else.

It was my second introduction to Polish Pate that stuck. During our cooking class, we fixed a few dishes, but they fed us many more. The breakfast was on par with the finest hotel restaurant buffet. It really was a celebration of Polish cuisine.

slices of polish pate topped with red lingonberry jam

Normally, we think of pate that features liver. That’s not always true of Polish Pate (Pasztet). Adding liver is optional. According to Wikipedia:

In Poland, pasztet is made from poultry, fish, venison, ham, or pork with eggs, flour, bread crumbs, and a varied range of additions, such as pepper, tomato sauce, mushrooms, spices, vegetables, ginger, nutmeg, cheese, or sugar. A local form of pasztet is pasztecik szczeciński, a deep-fried yeast dough stuffed with meat or vegetarian filling, typical fast food dish of the city of Szczecin.

As I prepared to make my first pasztet, I came across numerous variations. I’ve written up what I did, but let me give you some ideas, and you can pick and choose what sounds good or fits what you have available.

Polish Pate (Pasztet) Variations

Consider the chicken livers optional, skip them if you like, but some say too much chicken liver can make the pate bitter, so don’t overdo it.

Consider using poultry rather than beef and pork.

Can’t find pork belly? Use pork fat (if you butcher doesn’t have it, I’ll bet they’ll save it for you).

Add other vegetables, such as carrot and parsnip, add a little garlic if you like

Rather than greasing the pan and preparing it with a dusting of breadcrumbs, line it with bacon, folding the slices around the top if they reach that far.

Garnish the cooked pate with chopped chives.

polish pate

Serving Suggestions

This isn’t a spreadable pate. It’s firm and will need to be sliced.

Some like to serve pasztet as an appetizer on special occasions such as Easter and Christmas (Christmas Day, not Christmas Eve which is meat-free). You might pair it with a crusty bread and horseradish sauce (1 part grated horseradish from a jar to 3 or 4 parts mayo depending on how much you like horseradish) and gherkin pickles. Some like the pate with something sweet and tart such as lingonberry jam or a cranberry relish. I found that I like it with both horseradish sauce and lingonberry jam.

Slice the pate and use it for a sandwich filling, I would probably add the horseradish sauce and lingonberry jam to my sandwich, maybe a thin slice of onion, with a few gherkins on the side.

We’re eating one loaf for lunch this week, and freezing the second one for Christmas morning.

Do you make pasztet? If not, I hope you’ll give it a try!

Smacznego!

Lois

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Polish Pate (Pasztet)

  • Author: polishhousewife
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Description

Lightly flavored pate with pork and beef

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound pork, cut into 1-inch cubes

Seasoning salt, to taste

1/2 pound pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 onions, peeled and quarterd

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

5 – 10 dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes

1 bay leaf

5 whole allspice

5 black peppercorns

3 juniper berries

7 cups water

1/2 pound chicken livers

1 large bread roll

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoon ground marjoram

3 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

pinch ground nutmeg

breadcrumbs for pan

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in Dutch oven or stock pot

Season beef and pork with seasoning salt, brown beef, remove from pan and brown pork

Return beef to pan along with pork belly, onion, celery, rehydrated mushrooms and the liquid (but be careful not to pour in any sediment or debris that was on the mushrooms), bay leaf, allspice, peppercorns, juniper berries, and water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, meat should be very tender, remove from heat

In another pan, blanch chicken livers by putting them in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain,a and rinse off any scum or foam

Add chicken livers and roll to pot with meat/veggie mixture, cool for 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350

Drain, run the  mixture through a meat grinder, twice, mixture should be very moist, add eggs, marjoram, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg

Grease two 8 x 4 inch loaf pans, and dust with bread crumbs, bake for 45 – 50 minutes

Cool, and refrigerate over night before serving

 

 

Venison Stew (Gulasz z Sarniny)

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This venison stew is the perfect way to eat game meat. The venison becomes super tender and melds perfectly with the unlikely combination of flavors, red wine, Madeira, dates, fennel, juniper berries, allspice (which in Polish is referred to as “English herb”). This may be only the second time I’ve ever cooked with fennel. I’ll have to search out more recipes; if you have a favorite I’d love to hear about it.

venison stew

I grew up in a family of hunters. As a children, we ate venison, elk, quail, pheasant. I much preferred beef and chicken. I must say that the first time I truly enjoy game was when I had a Korean style elk prepared by Chef Rob Connoley at the Curious Kumquat in Silver City, NM. Apparently, I only like fancy game meat, 😉 and this venison stew qualifies as fancy!

I’ve been thinking about this recipe that’s in From a Polish Country House Kitchen, by Anne Applebaum and Danielle Crittenden ever since my brother was succesful deer hunting last year. I’ve promised to share the recipe with him, but it’s taken me a while to unpack the box with my cookbooks from Poland. Jeff lives 1500 miles away, so we had to visit a posh butcher shop rather than his freezer. Here’s to hoping he still has a shoulder roast in the freezer or to good luck in the field this winter.

venison stews

I’ve served this with mashed potatoes and also with a combination of mashed potato and celery root. You could keep the Polish feel and serve it over buckwheat groats. Buckwheat is so common in Poland, but it’s a speciality item here in the states. I’ve used up what I brought home with me, so it’s time for an Amazon order. Like quinoa, I like to cook buckwheat in some sort of stock or broth to add flavor. You could go international and serve the venison stew over polenta too.

venison stew marinade

The original recipe doesn’t use any flour, but I like a stew to have a thick broth, so I’ve added some instant flour at the end. Wondra is a precooked flour. You can sprinkle it over a liquid and whisk it in without it getting lumpy. Because it’s precooked, you don’t have to worry about a raw flour taste if you add it at the end of cooking.

No matter what side dish or thickness you choose, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. We all need fancy food now and then.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Venison Stew (Gulasz z Sarniny)

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Category: Stew/Soup
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A delicious, sophisticed stew. One that’s sure to please everyone!

Ingredients

  • 6 cups dry red wine (1.4 litres)
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (120 ml)
  • 1 cup sweet port or Madeira (240 ml)
  • 6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 3 allspice berries, lightly crushed
  • l large head, garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 pounds vnison shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut in to 1 inch cubes (1.4 kg/2.5 cm cubes)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 strips of bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces (or a small package of lardon)
  • 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and thickly sliced
  • 1 cup chopped dates (150 g)
  • 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Wondra flour

Instructions

  1. Add the red wine, vinegar, port or Madeira, juniper berries, cloves, allspice, garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to a large bowl
  2. Add the meat and marinade over night or for up to three days
  3. Remove the meat from the marinade (save the marinade, you’ll cook the meat in it)
  4. Pat the meat dry (it will be very purple now)
  5. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat
  6. Fry the bacon until just crisp
  7. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels
  8. In the bacon grease, brown the meat over high heat in small batches (5-6) to avoid overcrowding the pan
  9. Pour the marinade to the pan, deglazing by scrappin up the browned bits stuck the the bottom of the pan
  10. Add the bacon and venison to the pan, making sure the meat is covered by the marinade
  11. Cover and simmer over low heat for two hours
  12. Add fennel, dates, onions, and sugar, add more salt and pepper if needed, simmer one hour
  13. Sprinkle Wondra flour over the top of the stew and whisk in to thicken the broth, simmer for just a few more minutes

 

Crab Corn Chowder

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Hot soups don’t normally come to mind during the summer months in Tucson, I’m more likely to make gazpacho or chÅ‚odink, but the beautiful selection of fresh corn on sale in all of the supermarkets got me thinking about chowders. I looked through several recipes online and ended up making this crab corn chowder by Rachael Ray.

Crab corn chowder

It’s always interesting to see the reaction you get when you mention Rachael Ray to people, as I did when I took this chowder to work for lunch. She obviously has legions of followers and is the much loved host of a multiple TV programs. I was surprised to hear some of my colleagues are among those who are put off by her persona of over the top enthusiastic, wholesome goodness. My brother, who lives, in New York City, shared some local society/gossip that sheds a different light on her life, but for myself, I’ve always felt that ever since Oprah discovered her, she was overexposed — something I guess she can worry about all the way to the bank.

Enough gossipy chit- chat, back to the cooking. The crab corn chowder comes together quickly and is easy to make. You don’t have to have fresh corn, but I do recommend fresh crab rather than canned. You can find it sold in plastic cups in your better grocery stores, in Arizona that means AJ’s Fine Foods.

Crab corn chowder would be great topped with oyster crackers, croutons, or maybe a sprinkle of chives or green onions for a pop of color.  If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think!

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Crab Corn Chowder

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Soup
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Description

An easy to prepare, hearty seafood chowder, chocked full of yummy vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning blend
  • Dash cayenne (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • 3 cups corn kernels, cut from the cob or, frozen
  • 8 ounces cooked lump crab meat

Instructions

  1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium heat
  2. Add diced potatoes, cook for a few minutes before adding the chopped celery, stirring occasionally, a flat bottomed wooden spoon is perfect for this
  3. Continue adding vegetables, cooking and stirring for a few minutes between additions
  4. Add bay leaf and season with salt, black pepper, Old Bay, and cayenne if you’re using it
  5. Saute veggies 5 minutes, then sprinkle in flour
  6. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly
  7. Slowly add broth and milk, stirring to combine
  8. Heat soup until just beginning to boil, add the corn and crab
  9. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes
  10. Bring soup up to a bubble. Add corn and crab meat and simmer soup 5 minutes
  11. Remove the bay leaf, and you’re ready to serve; smacznego!

If you love the convenience of having a pot of soup, ready to go in the fridge, be sure to check out my Pinterest board, Year Round Soup Ideas. You’ll find a variety of hot and cold options from me and other soup loving pinners.

Duck Sausage Gumbo

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We roasted a whole duck Christmas Day. At the end of the evening when faced with the duck carcass and a few roasted vegetables leftover, I did what any good Polish housewife would do and made duck stock. All of the bones and the veggies (a mix of carrot, onion, parsnip, potato, and Brussels sprouts) went into Dutch oven with enough water to cover everything, probably about 12 cups. I brought it to a boil then turned the heat down as low as it would go, covered it and let it simmer over night. If you’re doing this during the day, a couple of hours should be sufficient. I was just out of steam and couldn’t stay up that long. I had no idea what I would do with this at the time. Luckily, inspiration came the next day, and it turned into some excellent duck sausage gumbo. If you’re not cooking a duck, you could do this with any kind of leftover poultry.

Duck Sausage Gumbo

 

 

After letting the liquid cool to room temperature, I poured it through a strainer to remove the veggies and the duck carcass. After cooking for so long, the duck was disintegrating, lifting it out was not an option. The veggies were discarded. I think any flavor in them had long since cooked out. I picked the meat off the bones and was pleasantly surprised that I had almost three cups. I wanted to remove the layer of fat that was on top of the stock. I could have used a fat separating measuring cup, but mine is small. It would have been a lot of pouring and probably a lot of spilling. Since I wasn’t in a hurry, I popped the pan with the liquid into the freezer to firm up the fat, making it easier to remove. The gelatinous stock became almost solid, and I was able to scrap off the fat with a metal spatula.

After browsing through three recipes in our favorite Cajun cookbook, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen, I felt ready to take this on. We invited friends over for an impromptu dinner party, and the duck sausage gumbo was very well received.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Duck Sausage Gumbo

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 40 min
  • Cook Time: 75 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Cuisine: Cajun
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Description

Spicy and flavorful, this chock-full of veggies soup will win over die-hard carnivores. With a subtle heat, this is a wonderful use for any leftover fowl.

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 1/2 cups chopped onions, divided
2 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers, divided
2 1/2 cups chopped celery, divided
2 1/2 cups chopped okra, divided
1/4 cup duck fat (add olive oil if more fat is needed)
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups duck broth
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups shredded duck meat
1 pound Polish sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups rice, cooked according to package directions ( I sometimes use Basmati rice because of the lower glycemic index)

Instructions

Combine the flour, salt, paprika, white pepper, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and cumin
On a plate, combine together 1/2 cup each of the onion, bell pepper, celery, and okra, set aside
Heat the duck fat in a large Dutch oven over high heat
Add the flour and seasoning mix, stirring and scraping constantly, cook until dark brown, 4 – 5 minutes, add the reserved mixed vegetables, and continue cooking over high heat for one more minute
Add the garlic, and immediately begin adding the duck broth, one cup at a time, stirring between each addition
Add the tomatoes (including liquid), duck meat, the sausage, and the remaining vegetables
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, loosely cover, and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally
Served in bowls with a scoop of cooked rice

I’m sure a Cajun dish isn’t what pops into everyone’s mind. How would you use up leftover duck or other poultry?

 

Salmon Patties with easy sauce

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salmon patty, salmon patties

Salmon patties are something I remember from my childhood. My mom made them with canned salmon. I’m sure it was an effort in every mom’s most challenging pastime, trying to get a variety of nutritious food into her children.

I didn’t like them at all. Everything I wanted from the sea came in the form of fish sticks with tartar sauce and butterflied breaded shrimp with ketchup — not very sophisticated,  I know.

Have hope, moms, tastes change. I now quite enjoy salmon. (Because Polish is a language with no silent letters, let me just toss this out here for my Polish friends, the l in salmon is silent. It’s pronounced something like sa-men.)

I just returned to Poland after four weeks in the USA. I’m sure some of you picture me returning to an empty refrigerator, but that’s not the case at all. Ed had the fridge stocked and cooked all the meals for the first 24 hours that I was home.

We had some great beef from Argentina, a green salad, and Gordon Ramsey style scrambled eggs with fresh chives. There was also some salmon in the fridge that Ed had cooked earlier in the week, which I used to make salmon patties for our lunch this afternoon.

I topped them with a sauce we could call a lazy woman’s hollandaise, mayo and Dijon mustard mixed together.  Garlic toast, a pickle and a couple of sun dried tomatoes on the side, and Ed looked at Benson (our dog) and said, “the Polish Housewife is back.”

Try the salmon patties; I hope you’ll like them. I also hope this has struck a chord for you — reminded you of something your mother wanted you to eat, something you’ve come to enjoy, the state of your kitchen after being away.

Let’s get the conversation started. Maybe my dear sister-in-law, Carol, will share a story about husbands in the kitchen. 😉

Smacznego!

Lois

 

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salmon patty, salmon patties

Salmon Patties

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 2 - 4
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Description

A quick and tasty use for leftover cooked salmon

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces cooked salmon, flaked
  • 1 small onion, finely diced (1/4 – 1/3 cup)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley (1 tablespoon fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • olive oil for frying
  • chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine salmon, onion, egg, 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper
  2. Without overworking the mixture, form into four patties, flattening to about 3/4 of an inch and also pushing in on the sides to make sure the patties are structurally sound
  3. Coat the patties with the remaining breadcrumbs
  4. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a frying pan, over medium high heat
  5. Add the salmon patties, reduce heat to medium, cooking until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes
  6. Turn the patties (I like to use two spatulas when turning delicate things, place one underneath, and then a second spatula over the top to gently flip it and ease it back into the pan; it also keeps the oil from splashing because the patty doesn’t plop back into the pan) and add more olive oil if necessary, cooking until the second side is golden

Notes

For my “lazy woman’s hollandaise sauce” mix 2 tablespoon mayo (I like Best Foods or Hellmans) with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

For dinner last night, we visited the first ever Browar Fest Poznan — a festival featuring craft beers from Poland and other places. A write-up on this, which we hope becomes an annual event soon!

 

Gulasz – Polish Pork Goulash

by 18 Comments

I wanted to adapt my usual recipe to make it more like Polish pork goulash or gulasz. The paprika we’ve bought in PoznaÅ„ has been darker and spicier (not smoked), so that took care of part of it.  I also (as the name implies) used pork, the most typical Polish protein, rather than beef.

As I’ve started doing lately with soups, etc., I browned all of the ingredients, not just the meat.  I think it adds to the flavor.

The final difference is that I served this goulash over potato pancakes; in the past, I’ve usually used noodles.

Another typically Polish way to serve goulash would be over buckwheat kasha (toasted groats). I like to cook buckwheat in stock (chicken, beef, or even vegetable broth) to give it a little more flavor.

I hope you enjoy this Polish Pork Goulash as much as we do!

Smacznego!

Lois

Delicious Polish Pork Goulash over potato pancakes!

(Amazon pays me a few cent for purchases made via these links)
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Polish Pork Goulash

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 mins
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A delicious, savory stew, the perfect topping for potato pancakes!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork, trimmed and diced
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 bell peppers, cut into thin strips (I used red and yellow)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14 ounces broth (I used veal reconstituted bullion cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 whole allspice
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • Potato pancakes, cooked according to directions

Instructions

  1. Dredge pork in flour that has been generously seasoned with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large saucepan, brown pork cubes in hot oil. (I did 2 or 3 separate batches.)
  3. Remove pork and brown onions and peppers, add garlic just before they’re finished. (After multiple batches of meat and then the veggies, there was a dark brown crust on the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry, it will loosen and dissolve in the liquids you’re about to add – giving you a dark, flavorful broth.)
  4. Return pork to the pan and add broth, tomato paste, paprika, pepper, allspice and wine.
  5. Simmer covered 60 to 90 minutes
  6. In a small bowl, blend water and 3 tablespoons flour. Add to meat mixture
  7. Simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
  8. Serve over potato pancakes

Notes

I can eat this for any meal of the day, and we often have leftovers for breakfast, topping a potato pancake with goulash and a fried egg!

 Try Full of Flavor Polish Pork Goulash - Gulasz! #polishrecipe #polishfood #pork #polishhousewife PolishHousewife.com

 

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Shrimp – Tofu Pad Thai

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I don’t do much Asian cooking, so this may be the start of something new.  I wanted to try my hand with Pad Thai, my usual from Pei Wei.

Being a novice, I bought two kinds of rice noodles from my local Asian market – a precooked package from the refrigerator case and a package of dried.  I followed the directions below with the dried noodles and worried that they were too al dente after the soaking time, so I opened the precooked package.  After pinching off a bit a precooked noodle, I opted to take my chances with the dry noodles – the precooked had no flavor and the texture seemed mushy.  I shouldn’t have worried.  The dry noodles continued to hydrate during cooking and absorbed the flavor of the sauce – definitely the way to go.

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

8 ounces dry rice noodles (rice sticks)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 ounces extra firm tofu, diced and drained
2 eggs, light beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 pound bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon red chili sauce

Directions

  • Soak the noodles in cold water for 15 minutes.  Drain; cover with hot water.  Soak for 15 more minutes.  Drain; rinse in cold water.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent.
  • Add garlic, shrimp and tofu; cook until shrimp is pink.
  • Add eggs, stirring until set.
  • Whisk together ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar; add to pan.
  • Add noodles, bean sprouts, peanuts, and cilantro.  Cover, cook until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in chili sauce.

Serves: 4 – 5

Eggplant Stuffed wtih Ground Lamb

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I don’t have a lot of experience cooking with lamb, but I recently picked up a pound at the farmers’ market.  It’s supposed to be so healthy – a lean red meat, lots of iron and B vitamins, and I liked the idea of, in this small way, being a locavore (one who eats food produced locally).
The lamb became part of this recipe, inspired by a dish I used to order in an Italian restaurant many years ago. The original used beef to stuff the eggplant, but surely artistic license carries over to the kitchen.
Ingredients

2 eggplant
1 lb. ground lamb
½ T. olive oil (optional)
½ t. salt
¼ t. black pepper
dash nutmeg
dash cayenne pepper
3 T. Italian parsley, chopped
2 T. mint, chopped
½ c. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. tomato paste
3 tomatoes, diced and seeded

Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Pierce the eggplant three or four times with a fork; place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, 30 – 45 minutes. Cool.
  • Slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out and dice the eggplant flesh and seeds leaving ¼ inch attached to the skin, save the eggplant halves.
  • In a frying pan, combine the diced eggplant and all other ingredients except the tomato paste and diced tomatoes; brown the lamb, adding the olive oil if the meat is very lean.
  • Stir in the last two ingredients.
  • Return the four eggplant halves to the baking sheet, fill with the meat mixture, and bake at 350 for 30 – 35 minutes.

Serves 4